Budget for returnees halved (Vecernje Novosti)
Minister for Communities and Return in the Kosovo government, Dalibor Jevtic, said to Novosti that the Ministry’s budget is halved, what puts the Ministry in a very uncomfortable financial situation. From that reason Jevtic initiated a revision of the budget, aimed at providing more funds for return projects.
Jevtic said that process of return was difficult from the very beginning, and added that the goal is still far away since only 10 percent out of around 200.000 of displaced have returned so far. “The approach has to change. From this reason I have proposed creation of the inter-ministerial group for return, which would be composed by members of the government who can and must assist in the process of return, in the areas of their responsibility,” said Jevtic and added that this is the way to make the process of return sustainable and more successful.
Jevtic praised the role of the EU Office in Kosovo in the process of return and said that the project ‘Return and Reintegration in Kosovo’ and project for closure of collective shelters are made possible through joint funding of those projects and memorandums signed between the EU Office and the Ministry for Communities and Return.